at the heart of the DASH diet...

TRUE or FALSE:  One of the most successful ways to reduce blood pressure is through diet.
___ ___ ___ ___.   And yes, it is a good time to ask yourself  'Did I Eat That?' !!  

Just this week several good friends of ours have been in a serious place with their high blood pressure and they did more than 'dash' to the ER. Phone calls with prayer requests like this only spur me on to get the message out there more and not cower back into a " i don't want them to think I'm trying to sell something" mindset.  I sure was thankful for the tips I received from a friend to help on my iphone 6  or on a recipe I was working on.  These messages are truly matters of the heart, in more ways than one.  And with   February being Heart Health month, I want to share some tips on helping to prevent these life-threatening moments and find a 'safe' way to live, for you or your loved ones.  Let's start with the DASH diet. ( info and picture from Shaklee Health Science article)

The DASH diet (which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) is a diet that is low in sodium and emphasizes whole grains, fruits, legumes (beans), vegetables, and low-fat dairy products as the bulk of calories consumed. Some fish, poultry, and red meat are allowed. Sweets and fats are also allowed but only in small amounts.

Following the DASH diet typically results in 11/7 mm Hg (systolic/diastolic) drop in blood pressure, but when combined with a weight-loss program, those numbers are typically even better, with a 16/10 (systolic/diastolic) mm Hg reduction.1

Why does it work?

Scientists have long wondered if there was something in vegetables that might account for the blood pressure lowering effects of the DASH diet. The DASH diet is naturally low in sodium and removing salt can certainly help reduce blood pressure, but so can eating foods high in potassium, calcium, and magnesium.2

Recently, scientists have turned their attention to nitrates and discovered that nitrates may be the main reason the DASH diet works. Nitrates have for a long time been erroneously associated with cancer. A poorly designed study that suggested nitrates were harmful was the root of this belief. The study was debunked rather quickly,3 but the public perception has lingered.

Nitrates can be converted in the body to nitrite, then into a molecule called nitric oxide; and it is nitric oxide that is the endogenous signaling molecule known to relax blood vessels (which can lead to a reduced blood pressure).

Typical intake of nitrate in the United States is around 10-100 milligrams a day, with 85 percent of that intake coming from vegetables.4 That intake is greatly increased to 1,222 milligrams when people participate in the DASH diet.5 Increasing dietary nitrates has been independently shown to reduce blood pressure.6 Nitrates are also thought to increase exercise performance7 and improve blood flow to the brain.8

While scientists are still trying to discover just how much of the DASH diet’s effects are due to nitrates, early studies have suggested that increasing nitric oxide concentration at the artery wall seems to be the key. The benefits of a high-vegetable diet for heart and overall health cannot be understated.

It may take a while to adapt to a lower salt, high-vegetable diet for your own life, but your health is worth it.  

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1. Blumenthal JA, Babyak MA, Hinderliter A, et al. Effects of the DASH diet alone and in combination with exercise and weight loss on blood pressure and cardiovascular biomarkers in men and women with high blood pressure: the ENCORE study. Arch Intern Med. 2010 Jan 25;170(2):126-35. PMID: 20101007.
2. Aaron KJ, Sanders PW. Role of dietary salt and potassium intake in cardiovascular health and disease: a review of the evidence. Mayo Clin Proc. 2013 Sep;88(9):987-95. PMID: 24001491.
3. van Loon AJ, Botterweck AA, Goldbohm RA, et al. Intake of nitrate and nitrite and the risk of gastric cancer: a prospective cohort study. Br J Cancer. 1998 Jul;78(1):129-35. PMID: 9662263.
4. Gangolli SD, van den Brandt PA, Feron VJ, Janzowsky C, et al. Nitrate, nitrite and N-nitroso compounds. Eur J Pharmacol. 1994 Nov 1;292(1):1-38. PMID: 7867685.
5. Hord NG, Tang Y, Bryan NS. Food sources of nitrates and nitrites: the physiologic context for potential health benefits. Am J Clin Nutr. 2009 Jul;90(1):1-10. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.2008.27131. Epub 2009 May 13.PMID: 19439460.
6. Kapil V, Milsom AB, Okorie M, et al. Inorganic nitrate supplementation lowers blood pressure in humans: role for nitrite-derived NO. Hypertension. 2010 Aug;56(2):274-81. PMID: 20585108.
7. Lansley KE, Winyard PG, Bailey SJ, et al. Acute dietary nitrate supplementation improves cycling time trial performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2011 Jun;43(6):1125-31. PMID: 21471821.
8. Presley TD, Morgan AR, Bechtold E, et al. Acute effect of a high nitrate diet on brain perfusion in older adults. Nitric Oxide. 2011 Jan 1;24(1):34-42. PMID: 20951824.

What have you 'herb' about the safety of supplements?

 This blog is all about healthy stuff and living in your safe world.  So, if you are a supplement user, you have most likely seen a lot of the press that tends to generate a negative impression for all supplements. It only pushes me to share more with those who have done their research about the NEED for supplementation, but negated to do their research on the source and purity of the products they got off the shelves.  I did the research over 30 years ago. The Shaklee Difference is more than just a slogan. It's an integral part of everything about this company that we align ourselves to.  This is who I am and this is what I believe in. Here's why. 

 WHAT'S ON THE LABEL IS IN THE PRODUCT:                                  For nearly 60  years, the Shaklee name has been synonymous with products of the utmost quality and integrity. Shaklee consumers know they can trust that what is on the label is in the product; that is the 100% Shaklee Guarantee. We promise purity, potency and performance in each and every bottle, and it’s the Shaklee quality control protocol that delivers on that promise.

For a review of the quality protocols that help create the Shaklee Difference, please visit this article on MyShaklee:http://member.myshaklee.com/…/HowWellDoYouUnderstandShaklee…

Recent news reports have focused on the issuance of “cease and desist” letters to four large retailers  ( Walmart, Target, GNC and Walgreens) for supplements the Attorney General for the State of New York asserts were improperly labeled. Testing commissioned by the New York Attorney General reportedly indicated an absence of labeled botanical ingredients in some cases, or the presence of unlabeled excipients or contaminants in others.

Shaklee scientists are familiar with the DNA barcode testing utilized. Shaklee agrees with the responses of a majority of credible experts in the botanicals and herbal supplement industry. DNA barcode testing technology, which Shaklee has used in appropriate circumstances such as determining identity of raw materials, would not be appropriate for the testing of finished product which has been through various processes that may impact the DNA signature of key nutrients, particularly of products consisting of botanical extracts.

It is really a complex scenerio. Another interesting article  in Prevention Magazine that shares how  DNA might not be as conclusive after all in the testing of herbal supplements. And we don't know that all of the products tested were of the highest purity or quality ( sand and other stuff found in them). However, the find of sand and other ingredients in the products is enough for me to not trust those sources.   Which is just another THANK YOU SHAKLEE  for their strict testing protocol!  

Shaklee guarantees that what is on the label is in the product. Their commitment to the health and well-being of their loyal customers is the foundation of their business. And this year we are celebrating 100 years of INNOVATION!!   Shaklee also believes that sound and well understood scientific protocols should be the basis for assessing the quality and integrity of nutritional and herbal supplements.  Why can't this be the norm?  

This is who I am

This is what I believe.

And I am so thankful that for 60 years our products weren't pulled off the shelves.

Always SAFE. Always work. Always green. 

I invite you to give this company a try. 

More info and ways to get the products are here